Japan fascinates with a unique poster culture. Its subtle poetry, mystical messages and glowing colors are just as captivating for the Western eye as the cheeky provocation and rejection of all the accepted rules of visual communication. The exhibition, intended as a cultural contribution to the 150th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Japan and Switzerland, presents the history of the poster in Japan, where this medium is primarily known as an artistic statement and image advertising. Works by three old masters, Shigeo Fukuda, Kazumasa Nagai and Ikko Tanaka – from a generous donation to the museum – are to be seen alongside posters from 1950 to the present day. Here the special aesthetic of Japanese graphic designs reflects the dialogue between Eastern and Western visual culture.